class of 2031 – Elite4usa.com

Georgia Tech, UNC, UGA, Tulane and others cut supplemental essays for 2026-27, and Yale dropped "Why Yale." Fewer essays does not mean an easier application. Here's how to research and write the "Why Us" essays that remain, why brochure language fails, and what to cut inside 150 to 350 words.

Application Strategy | College Admissions

Supplemental Essays Are Disappearing — Which Makes the Remaining “Why Us” Heavier

ByAndy Lee | Elite Prep Suwanee August 12, 2026

The 2026-27 Common App prompts are unchanged, which means August is for writing, not researching. How to choose a topic, structure 650 words, open the first paragraph, run three to five revision passes, and avoid the trap that erases the student from their own essay.

Application Strategy | College Admissions

Finish the Common App Essay Draft in August — From Blank Page to First Draft

ByAndy Lee | Elite Prep Suwanee August 6, 2026

The Common App renamed its Activities section to Activities and Experiences this year. Here's why ten slots is a ceiling and not a quota, how to order them so the first three carry the story, and how to write inside the 150/50/100-character limits.

Application Strategy | College Admissions

Ten Activity Slots: Don’t Fill Them All — The Top Three Are the Application

ByAndy Lee | Elite Prep Suwanee August 5, 2026

Three conditions that tell you whether your family can commit to Early Decision, what USC's new ED plan and the disappearing supplemental essays change this year, and a week-by-week roadmap from August 1 to the November 1 deadline.

College Admissions | Early Applications

Early Decision Is a Contract, Not a Strategy: Decide in August, Submit November 1

ByAndy Lee | Elite Prep Suwanee July 30, 2026

Every college is required to post a Net Price Calculator. Run it before you apply. Here's how to read the numbers, why the new Parent PLUS caps change your list, and how to build in a financial safety — a step-by-step August guide for families of rising seniors.

College Admissions | Paying for College

Ignore the Sticker Price: Build Your College List Around What You’ll Actually Pay

ByAndy Lee | Elite Prep Suwanee July 29, 2026